Infrared camera systems are well known and are used in many different applications. For example, infrared camera systems can be used on vehicles, including automobiles, to enhance viewing. Such infrared cameras can be particularly useful during periods of decreased visibility, such as dusk, dawn, and at night.
As those skilled in the art will appreciate, a flash, e.g., a whitened image that is displayed, may occur when there is an abrupt change in the temperature of at least a portion of a scene being imaged. A flash is displayed as one or more image frames that contain substantially more white (indicating heat) than desired. A flash can be predominantly white.
For example, a flash can occur when a raindrop or snowflake strikes or splashes against the lens of an infrared camera. Water is substantially non-transmissive in infrared and the raindrop or snowflake typically quickly heats up after it contacts the warm optical element.
Such flashing is undesirable because it can be distracting and annoying to one viewing the displayed image and may even prevent viewing of the intended image. That is, the display of a flash can prevent someone from seeing something in the display that should be seen. As a result, there is a need for one or more methods and/or systems that mitigate the occurrence of flashing in infrared camera systems.